


Forgiving

by begin_fiction



Category: Babylon Berlin (TV)
Genre: Brothers, Dogs, Gen, Sibling Bonding, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:49:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29887581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/begin_fiction/pseuds/begin_fiction
Summary: Childhood. Severin wants to play with dogs. Engelbert doesn't approve.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	Forgiving

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [this feels right and i'm letting it](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24883642) by [spinnerofyarns](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spinnerofyarns/pseuds/spinnerofyarns). 



As a child, Gereon rarely went outside the house. He preferred staying inside in his room, sometimes with Severin, away from Anno and their parents.

He never liked school either, where you had to sit 7 hours on a chair and were expected to understand what you just got told.

Often his father grabbed him by his collar and said some words Gereon never listened to. 

He could say, that the Rath household wasn't exactly fun. The house was a little big yes, and that was fun at the first intention. But it was usually never quiet. Sometimes you could hear shouting from the other room, arguing, even sometimes hear a glass break.

That was a few days ago.

Today was 6 september after school.

Severin stood next to him. He liked Severin. Severin looked just like him apart from his voice being different and personality. He always liked to play or to joke around.

Currently they were standing outside. Gereon took a moment to admire the grass and the trees and something a little far away he identified as water.

He looked back in front of him when he heard a sound like someone was shaking keys. Their father came out with a dog on a leash. It looked quite uncomfortable.

"Dogs are to be hunted for," he said with his usual deep voice. "You shoot them, you grab them and eventually eat them."

Well no, he wasn't interested in _dog_ today or any other day ever.

Severin went closer to the dog, petting it. "Cute boy!"

Severin jumped a little at the sudden growl. "Stop that immediately!"

He went a few steps back. "Yes father," he said, looking at the ground.

"Dogs are not to be treated like they're royalty. You _hunt_ them, Severin. Not play with them," their father said. He really sounded intimidating.

Severin nodded slightly.

His father opened his mouth to say something but got shut when Anno came outside. 

"Father! I need your help."

In a second, his father had already forgotten everything. He dropped the leash and got to Anno, and got inside with him.

Severin scoffed next to him when the old man was out of sight. "Asshole. I hate him."

"You're not alone on that," Gereon replied. He didn't like Anno, but he did care about his older brother. He kept following Anno like a puppy following his owner. Without Anno.. he'd probably be nothing.

Severin was back petting the dog, and even didn't object on his hand being licked. He unlocked the leash so the dog could run freely.

"Severin!" Gereon hissed. "What are you doing?! What if father finds out?!"

"Let him. He'll realize then it's his fault. _He_ left us alone after all." Severin replied short, sounding a little angry.

Gereon sighed. His father wouldn't realize that and his brother knew that very well.

Just at that point, Severin sighed too. "Alright alright. I'll be walking a bit with the dog and I'll bring him back here alright?" he suggested as if Gereon had asked him a question. 

"I... guess."

Severin smiled. "Thanks Gereon," he said and got deeper into the trees with the dog. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon!"

Gereon kept looking at his brother until he was nowhere to be seen. He stood there, hands behind his back.

Now to wait for a while.

After 10 minutes, Severin hadn't returned yet. Gereon started to worry. What if he got lost? 

He got startled by the sudden sound of Anno's voice. "What in the world are you doing here?" he asked.

Gereon looked at the ground. He wouldn't betray Severin.

Anno noticed that. "Where's Severin? Where is he?"

He didn't answer.

"Where is he, Gereon?" Anno asked again, sounding more impatient. Then his eyes widened as if he had realized something. "He's in the woods isn't he?"

No reply.

_"Answer me!"_

Gereon just kept looking at the ground, pretending there was something interesting about the grass and the dirt.

Anno's voice got louder. "You worthless, idiot!" he almost yelled. "How stupid are you to let him go?!"

 _Stupid. Very very stupid,_ Gereon thought.

He could hear his father's voice calling for Anno. Anno yelled something back though he didn't pay attention whatever his brother had said.

"Listen to me, Gereon," he started, sounding as if he were in a rush and he got closer to Gereon. He looked at his older brother, but not in the eye. He didn't want to see Anno's look. "You're gonna find Severin back. I'll give you 10 minutes. If you're not here at that moment..."

Anno took a deep breath. "I'll fucking bash your brains in," he said and left to go back inside.

Find Severin.

In the woods.

With a dog.

He'd never get out alive.

* * *

Okay, he maybe did get out alive. With Severin. But not the dog. It felt like hours trying to find his brother eventually without the large animal next to him. According to Severin, he let the dog go accidentally and couldn't run fast enough to get it back.

Father would like that.

After a few minutes of walking, the two boys got back home, meeting Anno's hardened, mad looking face. "Inside, both of you."

They did.

Severin got sent to his room, along with father behind him. The door got closed.

Anno stood in front of him. "I'm not even surprised you would be late."

Gereon didn't answer. It would be best not to answer at this moment. He didn't want to make his brother more mad than he already is.

"If you can't even pay attention... then what the hell is your point of living?" Anno said harsh. A few seconds later he added, "Fucking answer me, Gereon."

"... I don't know," he mumbled.

"Louder."

"I don't know."

"Of course you don't know," Anno spat out, " _what_ do you know." It didn't sound like a question.

Anno got closer to him, grabbing his collar like father did whenever Gereon did something wrong.

"You're useless Gereon. Freaking useless, you know that?"

_Yeah I know. You tell me that a lot._

At the sound of footsteps which Gereon could easily identify as his father, no one would stomp as hard as him, Anno let him drop like a bag of potatoes.

His father greeted Anno and them gave him a short look. "Gereon, why are you on the ground like an ugly pig?"

"Nothing wrong father," Anno said quickly. "Gereon just fell." Looking at Gereon he added, "Right brother? Come on, get up."

At Anno's voice he got up quickly and left the two older men to go to his room. He closed the door and silently cursed himself.

* * *

It was over 9 PM.

Gereon sat on bed, not bothered to go to sleep. Anno's words still were in his thoughts and they wouldn't leave.

He jumped slightly when he heard a knock on the door. "Come in," he said and realized his voice sounded.. at the very least, weird.

Severin's head showed up. "You sure I am allowed to come in?"

Gereon nodded and Severin got in, closing the door behind him and sitting next to him on bed as quietly as he could.

"Are you alright Gereon?"

"Am fine. Anno just said that he doesn't really understand the point of why I live and that I'm useless, but I'm sure you knew that already," Gereon said quickly. He took a breath. "What about you? What did father do?"

"Gave me a scolding for what I had done. Am not allowed to leave the house for a week. No more meetings outside," he joked. Then he turned more serious. "Look, Gereon, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left like that, shouldn't have let you get in my mess."

"Don't worry about it."

"But I _do._ This whole thing is my fault, I started this. You just got caught up on it. I'm sorry brother, I really am. Will you forgive me?"

"Already forgiven."

The two sat next to each other in silence, Gereon letting his head rest on his brother's chest who had put his hand on his hair. Until they both were tired a few minutes afterwards. Severin had left in his pajamas being quiet.

"Still sorry," he whispered. "For you know.."

"Don't worry about it Severin," he whispered back. "I've already forgiven you."

**Author's Note:**

> First, I am sorry if this is very rushed and/or with mistakes. At this point I am actually tired as hell.
> 
> Hope ya enjoyed, have a good day/night!


End file.
